Latest news with #FotisIoannidis
Daily Record
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rangers fired Panathinaikos Champions League warning as star vows to exact revenge for 'unfair result'
Russell Martin and his troops take a two goal advantage to Athens for the return clash of their second qualifying round tie Fotis Ioannidis has promised to overturn Rangers' first leg Champions League advantage in Athens next week. Panathinaikos trail the Light Blues 2-0 from the first leg after strikes from Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama at Ibrox. The result means Russell Martin's side make the trip to Greece with a two-goal cushion after their Champions League qualifying rivals wilted in Govan and were reduced to ten men. However, key man and skipper of the Greek giants Ionnadis, has vowed to gain revenge against Rangers. He said: "Nothing is over. We and all the players really feel that we can win and turn the result around. We know we can do it. "It was a difficult night because we all thought we had the players to win it ahead of the match. We had chances and one moment from Rangers changed everything. "It is very important for us that the fans support us and stay patient. They can be our 12th man and we know they can act as the push we need to win on the night and then go on to qualify." And teammate Anastasios Bakasetas - the captain of Greece - moaned that the result was 'unfair.' He pointed out: "I think it's clear that the result was unfair to us. "I think that if any team should have won, it was us. But it's also a law of football, when you don't score a goal, you have to accept it. And we had very clear opportunities to score. "But there's no point complaining now. We still have one game to rectify this. We all believe we can still qualify." Martin and Co are at the first hurdle of their quest to reach the lucrative league phase of Europe's top competition. Should they complete the job in Athens, they will advance to the third qualifying round and face Viktoria Plzen or Servette. Reaching the next round would also guarantee Europa League group stage football at a minimum for the Ibrox side. But if they are unsuccessful in the tie, then it is one of Beşiktaş or Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League third qualifying round.
Scottish Sun
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers' Euro foes Panathinaikos turn down mega £17MILLION bid for star man as Champions League showdown approaches
NO DEAL Rangers' Euro foes Panathinaikos turn down mega £17MILLION bid for star man as Champions League showdown approaches Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PANATHINAIKOS have turned down a £17 million offer from Fiorentina for Greek international striker Fotis Ioannidis because they want him to fire them to Champions League glory against Rangers. Rangers meet the Greek side in the second qualifying round with the first leg in Glasgow and the return at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 3 Rangers' European opponents Panathinaikos have rejected a huge bid for Fotis Ioannidis Credit: Sportsfile 3 They want to keep the goalscorer for their UCL tie Credit: Getty 3 Ioannidis in action for Greece against Grant Hanley of Scotland Credit: Jane Barlow / PA Panathinaikos have received plenty of interest from clubs across Europe after Ioannidis netted 15 goals for club and country, including in Greece's last game against Bulgaria. Serie A side Fiorentina were the first club to follow up their interest with a concrete bid for the 25-year-old of £17 million. But reports in Greece have indicated Panathinaikos have informed the Italians they no intention of selling anyone until they play their Champions League ties with Rangers. They have already snapped up three players for the new campaign - ex-Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella, Greek international defender Georgios Kyriakopoulos from Monza and fellow stopper Ahmed Touba, with the Algerian international arriving from Turkish side Basaksehir. And they have made it clear they want their star striker Ioannidis available for the games against Russell Martin's new charges. He's been capped 17 times for his country at full senior level, scoring six goals for them. He's already netted many times in European competition against the likes of Marseille, Fiorentina, RC Lens, Stade Rennes, and Villareal. Ioannidis has also donned the captain's armband for his club regularly in the past season. He featured for most of Greece's 1-0 loss against Scotland in the Nations League play-off, but only made a short cameo in the victorious second leg. Meanwhile, their opponents Rangers are chasing the signature of a 24-year-old from the Italian Serie A. Rangers transfer special including Coady latest, why Turgeman move could be off & why Shankland's a no-brainer FC Zurich want to extend the loan of Swiss winger Samuel Ballet, but Cesc Fabregas' Como would rather cash in on him. Reports say Ibrox officials have been holding talks with their Italian opposite numbers about a deal for Ballet. 'Concrete talks' are said to be underway with the Ibrox club and other interested parties. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
BBC News
18-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What we know about Panathinaikos' manager & dangermen
Former Benfica, Spartak Moscow and Egypt manager Rui Vitoria will lead Panathinaikos into their Champions League qualifier with 55-year-old has won multiple league titles and cups in Portugal and took over the Athens side in October last year after their dismal start to the 2024-25 Portuguese coach led Panathinaikos to a second-placed finish the Greek top flight, but they finished 16 points off winners also guided the team to the last 16 of the Conference League where they were dumped out over two legs by Serie A club Fiorentina. Goalscoring proved an issue for Panathinaikos in the Greek Super League last term, netting 42 goals in 32 games, but Rangers will have to keep an eye on Brazilian winger deployed on the right of attack in a 4-3-3 shape, the former Leicester and Lyon forward, who signed for reported £6.2m from Galatasaray last summer, scored 11 tally was matched by striker Fotis Ioannidis, who has six goals in 17 Greece caps, and Serbia forward Filip winger Facundo Pellistri, a signing worth £5m from Manchester United last year, scored four and assisted the goals did not necessarily flow, Vitoria's side were good at sharing them out.
